


Goodnight

by DraketheDragon



Series: Saberiri week [3]
Category: Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: ? - Freeform, Artoria with dragon traits is amazing, Ay Day Three!, Dragon Saber is my jam, F/F, Fluff, Literal Sleeping Together, Missing Scene, anway, but like seriously, hope you enjoy!, i can't believe that the tag has literal in it, i mean i guess, lol, wow getting off topic lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 10:48:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30104790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraketheDragon/pseuds/DraketheDragon
Summary: The Einzbern base was lonely. It was just her and Saber, and although Saber was lovely company, the halls still echoed painfully empty. She was used to her castle, which, while never crowded, was still full of enough people that she didn’t feel alone. But it was just her and Saber here. That had been alright during the day when Saber was by her side, but now at night with the dark closing in, Irisviel couldn’t help but feel that absence keenly.
Relationships: Irisviel von Einzbern/Arturia Pendragon | Saber, mentioned Irisviel von Einzbern/Emiya Kiritsigu
Series: Saberiri week [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2211486
Kudos: 9





	Goodnight

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Ya'll! The prompt was Devotion | Alone Together, and I chose alone together! Hope you all enjoy and have a wonderful day!

The Einzbern base was lonely. It was just her and Saber, and although Saber was lovely company, the halls still echoed painfully empty. She was used to her castle, which, while never crowded, was still full of enough people that she didn’t feel alone. But it was just her and Saber here. That had been alright during the day when Saber was by her side, but now at night with the dark closing in, Irisviel couldn’t help but feel that absence keenly.

Her bed was too large. Irisviel curled up under the thick quilts and drew her knees to her chest. She wasn’t used to sleeping alone. Kiristsigu had slept beside her for most of her existence, but he was closing off now. No longer the man who had saved her, no longer the man who loved his daughter dearly. This was his mercenary face, and it was the mercenary she was dealing with, not her husband. Her husband would have come home. Kiritsugu . . .

Kiritsigu hadn’t come home.

She pushed herself up, clutching the quilt to her chest. Her breath echoed harshly in the silence. She couldn’t - she couldn’t do this. She couldn’t stay like this, separated and alone when her world would end in a matter of days. She tossed off her quilt and slipped out of bed.

The journey to Saber’s room felt far more fraught with peril then it should have been. The stone floor leached warmth from her feet. The cool night air raised goosebumps on her arms. Her heart beat too loudly in her ears. What Saber thought she was being silly? The thought almost made her turn back to her own room, but no. That was just her worry talking. Saber would at least hear her out. She knocked on Saber’s door, feeling the wood against her knuckles. She stepped back and brushed her hair from her face.

Movement from inside. The doorknob jiggled, the door cracked open. Saber stood there, in a loose white shirt and pajama pants. Her golden hair spilled past her shoulders, small bits stuck up everywhere in a truly impressive, if kingly, version of bedhead. Her blue-green eyes blinked at Irisviel. Her voice was rough with sleep. “My lady?”

“Hello, Saber.” She smiled nervously and fiddled with a strand of her hair.

Saber straightened. “Is everything alright?”

Irisviel bit her lip, then dropped her gaze. She stared at the stone floors. Somehow that simple act made speaking easier. “Saber, I was wondering if I could stay the night with you? I . . . I don’t want to be alone.”

For a moment, Saber was silent. Then the door squealed fully open and Irisviel felt Saber’s warm fingers on her arm. “Of course, my lady.” Gently, Saber drew her into the room. “You need only to ask.”   
  


Irisviel couldn’t sleep. She hadn’t anticipated what it would be like to lay in a bed with Saber. In the cocoon of their blankets, she could feel Saber’s warmth press against her. She was so much warmer than Kiritsigu, no doubt a side effect of her dragon blood. She smelled different too, like vanilla and lilies. Kiritsigu had never managed to get rid of the scent of smoke that clung to him. It was odd, she hadn’t been nervous laying next to Kiritsigu, it was what she had been made for, her duty to the Einzberns. But now . . .

Now, even with Saber a respectable half a foot away from her, Irisviel could feel her heart racing. Saber’s face, normally so serious and battle ready, had smoothed down. Peaceful, she looked peaceful. The sight drove Irisviel’s breath from her.

“My lady,” Saber murmured, lips barely moving, “you are staring.”

Irisviel flushed. “Really Saber, that’s your fault.”

“Oh?” Saber’s eyes opened. They shone softly in the dark. Irisviel could make out the silted pupil, the thin dark line around her blue-green irises. Dragon eyes. “How is it my fault?”

"You’re too pretty not to stare.” Irisviel blurted. She bit her lip immediately afterwards. She hadn’t meant to say that. Oh god, what would Saber think?

But Saber merely closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. “Surely you jest, my lady.”

“I don’t!” Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Irisviel reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Saber’s ear. “Saber, you’re gorgeous. No doubt anyone would agree with me.” She smiled softly.

Saber’s eyes snapped to hers. Her nostrils flared, and for a moment Irisviel thought Artoria’s pupils might have expanded. “My lady,” Artoria murmured, “truly. You are too kind.”

Irisviel sighed and withdrew her hand. “No, I simply speak the truth.” She hesitated, then pushed on. “Saber, thank you, for letting me spend the night.”

“Of course.”

“Would you hold me?”

A beat. Irisviel’s hand flew to her mouth. Oh no, oh no why had she said that? And Saber was staring at her with such wide eyes, her mouth slightly parted in shock. 

“No - you don’t have to! Sorry. I didn’t mean -” She buried her face in her hands. Fudge, she had royally screwed up. Gosh, Saber was going to ask her to leave, wasn’t she? Oh no. She wasn’t sure how she would de -

Arms. They circled around her waist and drew her close. Irisviel’s eyes flew open in surprise. Through the gaps of her fingers she could see Saber’s face. She looked so . . . soft, gentle and open. “My lady, as I said before, you need only to ask.”

Oh.

Carefully, Irisviel maneuvered her arms around Saber’s waist. She buried her face against her neck and breathed in deeply. She could hear Artoria’s heartbeat, the rush of her breath as it ghosted over Irisviel’s hair. Irisviel relaxed, the last of her tension draining away. She smiled against Saber’s skin. “Goodnight, Saber."

“Goodnight, Irisviel.”

This time, sleep came easy.


End file.
